UK Sikh Community Joins Millions in Global Prayer to End Famine

On Sunday 21st May 2017, Religions for Peace (RfP), joined with 70 organizations around the world, including the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, to support the Global Day of Prayer to End Famine, an initiative co-led by the World Council of Churches. People of all faiths joined together in places of worship across the globe, to collectively pray for peace for all, and for the end of suffering from famine.

The initiative, headed by Rev Olav Tveit (Co-President of Religions for Peace), aims to address what the UN has defined as the worst humanitarian crisis since 1945. The global day of prayer flooded social media and international news sources, raising awareness of the enormity of the famine problem, as well as attracting messages of support from both people experiencing the crisis, and those working to end it.

Among the various religious communities showing their commitment to fostering a world without famine was the Sikh community, with a 24 million worldwide population. The Sikh daily prayer is for ‘Sarbat da Bhalla,’ the well-being of all.

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh (International Trustee and Co-President of Religions for Peace, Chairman of the UK-based Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha) led the Sikh response to the interfaith call to prayer, and joined over 500 community members in reciting a sacred text, the Prayer for Peace and Well-Being, written by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev Ji, in the seventeenth century.

The prayer was held at the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Gurdwara, based on Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham. The powerful prayer lasted over 90 minutes, and was recited by the entire congregation, who stood with joined hands in prayer, to implore the Almighty to forgive humanity for its sins, and to bring relief to those suffering from the pain of famine. The prayer was followed by ‘Kirtan’, the singing of sacred hymns.